team romney says it's obama. it's like that famous bizarre world episode of "seinfeld". >> up is down, down is up. says hello when he leaves, good-bye when he arrives. >> reporter: a cynical farce. each side trying to set the expectations so high for the opponent they can't possibly be met. so low for the home team merely speaking in a complete sentence would be a victory. it is a long held tradition. an advisor to george w. bush once called john kerry the best debater since cicero, but it is a troubling tradition no matter what they say about each other. >> having been through this much more recently than president obama, i think he starts with an advantage. >> reporter: elections are not graded on curves. not even bizarre elections. so here's still more proof this whole thing is a farce. here's my guarantee. no matter what they're saying now about who will win, after the debates are over both sides will claim victory no matter what. wolf. >> john berman, thank you. >>> and you're in "the situation room." happen